Chafe and/or a walker

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to a chafe useable on an orthopedic walker and including members which define a slot through which a strap, such as the strap of a walker, may pass. The chafe also includes a stud on the member, and a connection element connecting the stud and members defining the slot.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a chafe and/or a walker and has been designedparticularly, though not necessarily solely, for use in connection withorthopaedic walkers.

BACKGROUND ART

Walkers are devices that are used for the immobilisation and protectionof the lower leg, ankle and foot of a user. The walker has uprightswhich are attached to either side of the leg, and these uprights caneither be fixed at 90° to the ground or there can be a provision for theuprights to be fixed in a range of positions, or pass through a range ofpermissible ankle movement.

It is common for walkers to come in a limited range of sizes (usuallythree or four), and these are required to fit a substantial range offoot sizes. Furthermore the foot could be bandaged. The foot is commonlyheld in place by two straps passing over the foot once it is placed intothe main body of the walker.

Commonly the straps either pass through slots in the side of the walkerbody, or through chafes which are attached to the main body of thewalker by screws or rivets. Commonly these slots or chafes determine theposition of the straps. Chafes have the advantage of providing moreadaptability to foot contour and they make fitting of both the walkerand also the straps easier.

The straps across the dorsum of the foot ideally exert even pressure onthe foot so as not to inhibit circulation and so as to provide maximumstability and comfort at a minimum pressure. However the position of thestraps is not always ideal particularly where they are needed to befitted over a bandaged foot following surgery or injury.

In these instances the contour of the dorsum of the foot may notresemble a presumed average foot shape and so strap fixation iscompromised.

This is clearly disadvantageous.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a chafeand/or a walker and chafe which will obviate or minimise the foregoingdisadvantages in a simply yet effective manner or which will at leastprovide the public with a useful choice.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly in one aspect the invention consists in a chafe comprising amember having a slot therein, a stud, and connection means connectingthe stud and member having the slot therein.

Preferably the member having the slot therein and the connection meansare formed as a unitary construction.

Preferably the member having the slot therein, the connection means andthe stud are formed as a unitary construction.

Preferably the stud has an enlarged head.

In a further aspect the invention consists in a walker frame having atleast one set of apertures, the or each set of apertures having at leasttwo apertures therein, and at least one chafe according to any one ofthe preceding paragraphs, each aperture being shaped so that the studcan be passed therethrough and optionally held in the aperture orreleased therefrom.

Preferably at least two sets of apertures are provided.

Preferably each aperture has a narrower upper end in use, and a widerlower part in use, so that the head of a stud can pass through the lowerpart of the aperture but be retained by the material defining the upperpart of the aperture.

Preferably at least one set of apertures has an associated slot in thewalker frame.

Preferably each set of apertures has an associated slot in the walkerframe.

Preferably the upper edge of the slot is formed to a saw tooth pattern,the edges of each upwardly extending part, in use, being such that thehead of the stud will be retained therein.

To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changesin construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of theinvention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope ofthe invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and thedescription herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be inany sense limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One preferred form of the invention will now be described with referenceto the accompanying drawings in which,

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a chafe according to one preferred form of theinvention,

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of a chafe according to one preferred form ofthe invention,

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of a chafe according to one preferred form ofthe invention,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a chafe according to one preferred formof the invention,

FIG. 5 is a front elevation of part of a walker frame or a memberattachable to a walker frame according to one preferred form of theinvention,

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the construction of FIG. 5, and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the construction of FIG. 5 in engagementwith a chafe as shown in any one of FIGS. 1 to 4, and

FIG. 8 is a perspective diagrammatic view of a walker according to onepreferred form of the invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In the preferred form of the invention a chafe 1 is provided. The chafe1 comprises members 2 which define a slot 3 through which a strap, suchas the strap of a walker for fixing the walker to a foot, may pass. Thechafe 1 also includes a stud 6 which preferably has an enlarged head 7mounted on a stem 8. The members 2 and the stud 6 are interconnected byconnection means 10 in the form of a member or bifurcated member, asshown in FIGS. 1 to 4, extending from the members 2. In the preferredform the members 2 and the connecting means 10 are formed as a unitarymember and further in the preferred form the stud 6 also forms part ofthe same unitary member.

The chafe 1 can therefore be moulded from a suitably strong yetresilient plastics material.

Also provided as part of the walker frame 12 or as a separate memberattachable to the walker frame is a member 20 which provides a set ofapertures having at least two apertures 21 and in the embodiments shownthere are seven such apertures.

A set of apertures 21 is provided at each point where it is desired toaffix or change the direction of a fixing strap on the walker.Accordingly there may be, for example, two or four such positions on thewalker frame, there being one or two such positions towards each side ofthe foot when the walker frame is in use. Four such positions areindicated in FIG. 8 (one being hidden).

Each aperture 21 is provided so that it has an upper part 22 and a lowerpart 23 when the construction is in use.

The construction is such that the head 7 of a stud 6 may pass throughthe lower part 23 of the aperture but be retained in position byengagement with the material surrounding the upper part 22. Othermethods of optionally holding or releasing the stud may be used such asfor example, providing the head 7 in an oblong shape so that in oneorientation the head can pass through the aperture, but in the otherorientation at substantially 90° be retained or otherwise as desired.

In the preferred form, also associated with the apertures 21, isprovided a slot 26. The slot 26 preferably has the upper edge, in use,27 thereof, formed to a saw tooth shape as can be seen in FIG. 5.Preferably the dimensions of the saw teeth 27 are such that the stem 8of the stud 6 can be retained in the saw teeth, in particular by meansof engagement of the head 7 with the material defining the saw toothpattern.

In use a chafe 1 may be connected with the walker frame element 20 bypassing the head 7 and a stud 6 through an aperture 21 at the part 23and moving the head into engagement in the part 22. The chafe will befree to rotate for fixing but is also readily removed by moving the head7 adjacent the lower part 23 and again withdrawing it from the member20. The chafe can then be repositioned.

As an alternative the chafe can be positioned in the saw tooth slot 26or alternatively straps themselves can be passed through the saw toothslot 26 where the teeth will effect a gripping motion on the straphelping to maintain the strap in the position that it has beenoriginally located.

Thus it can be seen that at least in the preferred form of the inventiona chafe and/or a walker are provided which has the advantage thatsubstantial flexibility as to the position and angle of the chafe inrelation to the walker frame is available. This allows the best positionof a strap in relation to the dorsum of the foot to be achieved therebyenhancing comfort and stability whilst minimising any tendency for thestraps to inhibit circulation.

1. A walker, comprising: a frame having at least one set ofsubstantially collinear apertures and a slot, wherein the collinearapertures and the slot are substantially coplanar, and at least onechafe comprising a member having a slot therein, a stud, and connectionmeans connecting the stud and member having the slot therein, whereinthe member having the connection means and the stud are formed as aunitary construction independent of the frame, and wherein each apertureis shaped so that the stud can be passed head first therethrough, heldin the aperture and released therefrom.
 2. The walker of claim 1 whereinthe stud has an enlarged head.
 3. The walker of claim 1 wherein at leasttwo sets of apertures are provided.
 4. The walker of claim 3 whereineach aperture has a narrower upper end in use, and a wider lower part inuse, so that the head of a stud can pass through the lower part of theaperture but be retained by the material defining the upper part of theaperture.
 5. The walker of claim 4 wherein at least one set of apertureshas an associated slot in the walker frame.
 6. The walker of claim 4wherein each set of apertures has an associated slot in the walkerframe.
 7. The walker of claim 5 wherein the upper edge of the slot isformed to a triangular saw tooth pattern, the edges of each upwardlyextending part, in use, being such that the head of the stud will beretained therein.
 8. The walker of claim 6 wherein the upper edge of theslot is formed. to a triangular saw tooth pattern, the edges of eachupwardly extending part, in use, being such that the head of the studwill be retained therein.